Service delivery issues torment Alex residents

For years, the residents of 13th Avenue and Josias Madzunya Street near the Number 3 Square Grounds have been living in fear of the trees that have grown far above their houses.
The residents fear that the trees will fall on their houses one day.

Resident Caroline Masangwana said her house was built next to a big tree and as it grew it exerted pressure on the outside wall which eventually started to crack.

“I had to hire a machine to cut this tree before it fell on my house. This cost me R10 500, and we didn’t cut the entire tree because it would’ve been more costly.”

Masangwana showed Alex News the cracks inside her house caused by the gigantic tree.

Neighbour Lizzy Mondlana had a worse experience. “When there’s wind you pray for your own safety. A tree once fell onto my kitchen roof and the roof collapsed inside but luckily no one was in the kitchen. The tree was so big that about 20 men had to lift it up.

“Now we even fear for our children whenever they play outside as they don’t know when the trees might fall, and which one will fall first as they are all so big now.”
The residents said they had reported the matter to their former ward councillor who allegedly accused them of being at fault for building their houses under the trees.
Incumbent councillor Zandile Mothupi said she was not aware of the plight of the residents as this matter hadn’t been reported to her. “I cannot comment on something that I am not aware of or has not been reported to me,” she said.

Related Article:

Ghostnation does a #Roadto2million donations to their beloved former housemate